Lies in the shadows
by Cariadbach
Summary: Harper has had her life as she knew it taken from her. She is broken, shattered after what she had been through. Will she be able to claim back what she had or will she find the lies that are still hiding within the shadows. (Rated T to begin with).
1. Chapter 1

**Hi this is a very new story that has come into my head. Comments and reviews welcomed. Been a few months since I have written anything so hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer : I own nothing of the Avengers, the story or characters. All rights go to Marvel. **

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Pain that was the first thing that Harper felt, her body was alight like a blazing fire as it tortuously licked at her body. What ever was happening to her, it was surging through her veins and doing something to her. She could feel the change within her behind all that pain, something was happening. There was nothing that she could do to stop, her body was not her own, she had no control or power over it. However she still had all her senses, she knew she had been sedated, she could tell by the heavy feeling in her head. She had not idea how she had gotten here. The finer details were missing, she knew she had been on a mission, a mission with, she tried to focus her mind but there was so much fog stopping her from getting the answers.

"How is our candidate doctor." A male authoritative voice asked, snapping Harper out of her current thought. She listened intently hoping to get some answers.

"Her body is coping with the introduction of the drugs sir." A younger male voice answered. "In a few hours we will be able to test the results."

"Good." Sir replied sounding pleased "Will she be at our command."

"No." The Doctor answered "That will take time and training."

"Send me the results." Sir ordered.

Harper felt her body burn up further, the pain becoming unbearable as the darkness took over her body forcing her to fall into unconsciousness.

x-x-x-x-x

Harper slowly stirred hearing the bleeping of machines and people talking. She could hear the bleeping of her heart rate spike as she opened her eyes. She was in a bright white room, she sat bolt upright looking around at people with white coats on. Scientists possibly the people who tortured her earlier, Harper felt herself panic slightly as she jumped out of bed staying as far away from the people in the room as she could. Keeping the bed between her and them, she eyed them suspiciously completely unsure about what to do.

"Miss Barrett." One said stepping closer holding her hands in the air to try and show Harper she was not harm to her. Harper knew better than to trust people with simple gestures.

Harper stared at them, her heart thumping in her chest as she took in her surroundings. She was in a hospital or laboratory, she looked around but didn't recognise it. She then realised what had happened, she was being held hostage. The door opened as another man with a lab coat entered the room. Harper bolted knowing she needed to get out of this place. She pushed pass the man running as fast as she could, even though she had no idea where she was planning to go. She ran pass people who just stared at her not trying to stop her or anything. Alarms suddenly sounded obviously alerting people to her escape. Harper turned a corner to see a man dressed in black standing in front of her blocking her way. She skidded to a stop staring at him, she wasn't even out of breath but could feel the adrenaline flow through her body increasing her heart rate.

"Harper." The man spoke calmly holding his hands out also. "Your safe here, your home, there is no need to run." She could hear hurried footsteps from behind her seeing armed men turn up pointing their weapons at her. This man had a funny way of showing that she was safe. She turned back to man standing in front of her staring at him seriously. "Put your weapons down." The man shouted at the other men. "She is one of us. Harper please I have no idea what you have been through but its me. Its Clint, your safe I promise you."

She stared at the man not having a clue who he was, or why he wanted her to trust him. She turned back to the men still seeing they were armed and ready for her next move. She stood there a moment before she lunged at the man Clint who stood in her way. He seemed to anticipate her move as he grabbed hold of her. They both landed hard on the floor in a desperate need to have the upper hand. However this man Clint managed to pin her down staring at her. She struggled helplessly beneath him, she just stared angrily back up at him.

"Harper its me you idiot." He shouted looking down at her seriously. "You know me."

"Your a trick and a lie of hope." She hissed back at him. "What do you want from me."

She then felt something pierce her neck, slowly making her drift into unconsciousness. She watched in the moments before she passed out in a hazy daze as the man Clint rubbed his jaw looking upset.

"Whats wrong with her doc." He asked she heard the concern in his voice.

"Possible Amnesia, we haven't worked out what they have done to her yet."

Harper lay there before letting out a sigh and submitting herself to the drug induced sleep.

x-x-x-x-x

The next time Harper woke she tried moving before opening her eyes but she could feel the straps hold her against the table. She was upright through, she opened her eyes to see she was alone in a cell of some sorts. She looked at the table she was restrained against, it was pivoted upright so she could have a good look at her surroundings. The concrete and metal walls in her cell were cold, dark and damp. However she was completely alone. She pulled against the restraints not getting anywhere, she let out a frustrated hiss before trying to thrash wildly. She could feel the fear build up within her again. She had no idea where she was, who had her hostage or why she was here. Time passed, Harper had not given up trying to escape, there were large purple bruises forming on her skin and cuts where the restraints had cut into her porcelain flesh. The door swung open which stopped her attempt in escape, Harper looked up at the man who entered the room followed by the other man Clint. Harper stared at the both of them, her eyes falling on to the first man, he stood tall, his one eye looking at her while the other was covered by an eye patch.

"Harper Barrett." The man began "That's your name isn't it."

"How do you know it." Harper spat back.

"Because you are a member of our team, My team." The man told her. "I was your commanding officer Harper."

"Lies." Harper snapped "Why do you think that."

The commander frowned Harper paused, she had no reason to believe what the man said. However she had no idea what the hell was going on. She just stared at the man not replying, not having an answer for him.

"Harper." The other man Clint finally spoke up. "The doctors think you have amnesia, they also think who had you did some experiments. It maybe what caused the amnesia, look we don't want to hold you like this but you gave us no option."

"I don't know who you are." Harper growled at the man not liking his misleading tone of friendship.

"Its me, Clint." He said calmly. "I was your mission leader before you got captured. I also was your trainer, the one you would come to if you had problems and we were friends."

Harper paused she felt something come back to her a feeling but she didn't trust or want it at all. She stared at the blonde haired man, she could see the hurt in his blue eyes. The leader left with Clint in tow. Harper stayed still where she was, she had no idea what the hell was going on now. She remembered the pain she went through but then nothing till now. What if they were the ones who caused her this pain, caused her to lose all her memories. She didn't even know if she had family who were looking for her. She felt tear's form in her eyes before falling down her pale cheeks.


	2. Chapter 2

_She lay on the hard floor, motionless and still, she could heard the rhythmic lub dub of her heart beating, she was alive. She lay still not knowing if she was being watched, her body not truly feeling her own and her head buzzing painfully. She couldn't think straight, only the thudding in her head keeping her awake. Hours or days could have passed and she had no idea where she was and what had happened. The only thing stirring her out of her thoughts was the sudden loud shouting and gun fire. Slowly dragging her heavy hands forward getting them under her she tried pushing against the stone floor. She couldn't shift her own weight, she had no strength to push herself off the cold wet floor or any hope of defending herself if needed. What ever was happening it was getting closer to her, making her heart rate spike. She just lay there staring towards the door not knowing what to expect. Suddenly metal door of her cell crashed open, tearing off its own hinges and falling to the floor with a thunderous crash. The bright light that shone into the room scolding her eyes as she stared at the tall shadow in the door way. She felt fear surge within her, not knowing who he was or what he wanted. She felt her breathing increase as she panicked knowing she had no energy to do anything to protect herself. The man stepped forward looking around the room till his eyes fell on her, he knelt in front of her assessing her before doing anything._

_"Its okay Harper your safe." The man told her sounding very calm and reassuring. "I have her sir, I have Harper Barrett." he said to some one else but there didn't seem to be anyone in the room or a reply. She realized he seemed to know who she was, she even had a name Harper. Was Harper Barrett her actually name, she had no idea as the panic inside of her increased realizing she had no idea who she was. The man gently lifted her off the cold floor into his strong arms before walking out of the room. She just lay against his arms and chest not able to do a thing, her mind racing as she slowly came to terms with her situation._

Harper woke to the door opening not remembering falling asleep, she was still restrained on the bed/like table. That dream if it was real,made her realize she knew nothing, nothing of her past, who she was or what was happening. She was only just grasping at her own name, a name that they had given her. She slowly lifted her head feeling completely dazed from the dream, she blinked a couple of times looking at the door which was open to see a tall, blonde and muscular man entering carrying a tray. She knew him entering just have woken her from her slumber. He seemed calm and relaxed in her presence, his blue eyes gentle and a warm smile on his face. He didn't seem like the others, he dressed in casual clothing not the black uniform the others seemed to wear.

"Harper." He carried on smiling at her. "I thought you might be hungry." He placed the tray down on a table at the side. She eyed up the food seeing two sandwiches and a large bottle of water on the tray, she just glanced at the man who seemed to be staring at her. "Will you be okay if I release you?" It was a question but even though she didn't answer he seemed to head for her restraints anyway.

Harper just stared at him as she watched hesitantly as the man removed the straps that held her to the table. She didn't know what type of game or plan this was but she knew she needed to be cautious. Slowly she stepped off the table her rubbing wrists trying to push away the dull ache from where the wounds were which had already healed from her self inflicted damage earlier. She looked around the room, trying to assess the situation a little better. She eyed up the food in front of her suspiciously. It could be laced with anything, they could be luring her into a false sense of security. However the groaning and tightening of her stomach clearly gave away her hunger.

"It's safe." The man told her. "Look." He grabbed the sandwich taking a bite before washing it down with some of the bottle water. "You have nothing to fear from us Harper. Don't you remember anything, nothing of us?"

Harper just glanced at him not knowing what to say, in all honesty she didn't have a clue who any of them were, where she was or who she was. She had only been able to piece a few things together so far but none of them held any truth yet. She glanced at the food before the need became to great, she just grabbed the sandwich and started shovelling it in as fast as she could.

"Its your favorite." The man continued to say "Egg and cress, I made sure it was wholemeal bread too. I know you prefer it. Do you have any memories at all Harper, anything."

"Pain." She whispered not really understanding why she was telling him about it. It just felt natural to speak and open up to him. "Pain, fire and suffering."

"And that's it?" He stared at her, she could see the worried expression on his face.

It then all suddenly seemed to click, she knew where she heard that voice before, her dream and the rescue. She slowly put the sandwich down, frowning as she slowly processed the information.

"It was you!" She muttered as her eyes widened in shock.

"I am not following you now Harper." The man looked at her confused and baffled by her.

"You were the one who came and brought me here." Harper continued staring at the man. He seemed a little taken back by her words. His expression made Harper not trust her own judgement. "Wasn't it?" She frowned.

"Yes but you have no idea who I am, do you?" He slowly stepped forward as Harper shook her head. "And you don't know where you are?" Harper just continued to shake her head.

The man just stood in front of her staring at her, she didn't know what to say or do. The feelings flowing through her completely new and unknown. She was completely lost her mind still clouded and completely uncertain of every action she made and thought. She waited for a response as the man finally let out a sigh slumping his shoulders slightly before saying.

"Well I'm Steve Rogers, we knew each other quiet well, you were there for me when I needed a friend. If you want I can do the same for you?"

Harper just nodded not sure what was happening, however a friend sounded nice after all this time. She didn't know even if she had any friends now or ever but she guessed she could use some one right now to hopefully help her understand something. She watched as he stepped closer going to touch her making her jump back and recoil from him. She could see a pained expression on his face as he stopped himself and thought.

"I am not going to hurt you Harper, I never have or will." Steve muttered

"How do I know that." Harper hissed before looking away from him feeling a little guilty considering she knew she had no evidence he had done anything to her.

"Okay we will work on trust first, take things slow, I promise." Steve reassured her she noticed however the false smile on his face. She just watched as he stepped away and headed for the door. "I'll come back later Harper."

She watched as he opened the door seeing two armed guards outside it. She just stared as the door closed and she heard the clicks of it looking behind Steve. She wrapped her arms around herself as she stood there alone trying to work out what was actually happening around her.


	3. Chapter 3

Harper rested herself against the wall in the corner of the room, her hands in her head. She was so confused and lost in her own head. She tried focusing on facts she should know about herself, did she have a family? Constant searching did not meet an end, she didn't know, she knew absolutely nothing about herself. In frustration she slammed her fist hard into the concrete. Her eyes widened as she saw her fist break part of the concrete pulling her hand back she saw the hole she had made. Stumbling back she just stared at it, what the hell was she. Harper felt fat tears begin to roll down her cheeks.

The door opened Steve entered staring at the hole in the wall before looking at Harper. He knelt down beside her before wrapping his arms around her. Harper quickly pushed him back by hitting him hard in the face. Steve rolled away before standing rubbing his jaw where her blow had caught him. Harper quickly got her to feet looking at him as he came closer to her.

"Harper there is no reason for to us fight." Steve told her a with a serious and concerned expression plastered across his face.

"How do I know that?" Harper argued wiping her wet eyes with her hand.

"Okay, I know you must be very confused. But you need to trust some one eventually Harper, how can I help you other wise." Steve explained staring at her. "I promised you we would take it slow but you were a good friend to me before you got captured. I am finding it hard to see some one I care about cry and suffer like this alone. Please Harper how can I help you?"

Harper stared at Steve not really knowing what to do or say now. She just stepped down from being defensive. She could feel her muscles slowly relax, she looked away from him as she thought about her options. She knew she didn't really have much of a choice, she knew she needed to trust some one to get answers about her past and possibly get her out of this situation. Harper let out a sigh looking down at the floor before answering him.

"I know nothing about me or what I am."

"I know and that must be scary." Steve muttered sound very sympathetic. "I will help you get the answers you want and need to be able to recover from this, I just need some co-operation from you."

"Thank you." Harper smiled slightly

"How about we start now, I will get us some food and see if I get us some information to start us off." Steve suggested.

Harper just nodded knowing she needed find out more about herself and who she was. Steve only seemed to have left for a couple of minutes but returned with a hand held computer, some sandwiches and fruit. As he entered he tossed the packaged sandwich at Harper which she caught with ease. She tucked into the chicken salad sandwich quickly feeling absolutely starving again, finishing it within minutes. Harper then glanced back at Steve who seemed engrossed in the technology he was using. She just wrapped her arms around herself staying where she was not really sure what to do.

"Sorry you may have to be patience with me. I am not great with this type of technology." He blushed glancing up at her. "Come over here, I think I have your file."

Harper slowly approached him glancing at the screen seeing a strangers picture, she stared at it, was this really her. The woman looked strong, in control and confident. Nothing like she felt at the moment.

"So it says your 27 years old." Steve muttered breaking the silence.

"You didn't know that?" Harper looked at the man slightly surprised, she was expecting him to know more about her if he claimed he was a friend.

"I am a...a little old fashioned in my ways. I don't think it's appropriate to ask a lady her age." Steve smiled at her seeming slightly amused by her question.

Harper just stared at him before glancing down at the screen again, it was the first time she had actually seen herself even if it was a picture. She would have classed herself as beautiful, her long red hair with loose curls at shoulder length which complemented her green eyes. She just stared at the image feeling a little more confused than she did before.

"You okay Harper?"

She knew he was only checking on her but honestly she didn't know how she actually felt at the moment. She finally looked up at Steve before saying.

"How do I know if this is me?"

"Right." Steve frowned he tapped the screen a couple times before turning it to face her. Se stared at the image see it move and blink with her. She recognized it from the picture however there were some changes. Her cheek bones more prominent she looked half starved and completely lost. "See its you Harper and give it time but you may start remembering things."

"Do you really think that?" Harper stared up into his blue eyes hopefully.

"Yeah." He sighed looking down at her. "See I do know you Harper, I know that you will want to find out everything you can and work hard to get those memories back. Anything I can do to help you just need to ask."

"Do I have any family." Harper stared at him feeling slightly hopeful as she bit the corner of her lip in nerves of what his reply was going to be.

"Ah..Harper you were an orphan. Left at a home for children when you were a baby." Steve answered solemnly shifting on his feet slightly. "You always told me that you never wanted to know the people who could abandon their child. It was something you use to feel strongly about."

"I can understand that." Harper whispered looking down playing with her fingers, she didn't seem too surprised with this new information. It was almost like she already knew it, some where within the fog it was there and becoming ever so slightly clearer now she knew something at least. She glanced up at Steve to see he was watching her looking concerned. She could understand why considering her outburst earlier. "So tell me how did we meet?" She smiled trying to be a little more positive and getting to a lighter topic she hoped.

"Well that is a tale." Steve slowly sat down leaning back against the wall placing the hand held computer down before looking up at her. Harper just followed suit and sat down almost beside him not quite feeling comfortable enough to be any closer. "There are a few things I need to tell you about myself for you to understand or remember it properly."

"Your going not going to tell me you're an alien are you?" Harper laughed thinking how outrageous that would be.

"No I am definitely from earth, just different times. I was frozen in my time and woken 70 years later in this time" He explained shrugging before thinking about it for a moment. "I was made into a super solider in the 1940's Harper, so I am not your average human

"Explaining why your old fashioned then." Harper muttered just looking at him not really feeling dazed by this new information.

"Yeah." He nodded laughing slightly. "Any way after I woke from this sleep you were assigned to look after me. So you took me around the modern world, teaching me how to live here. We hung out a lot, well it's how you would put it. Even when you had other missions we still use to meet for food, coffee or just a work out."

Harper thought for a moment, what he said sounded familiar to her. There was something else though, she could feel something at the back of her mind, like there was an important piece of information being left out.

"Were we anything more than friends." Harper heard a slight change in pitch when she asked but she knew it wasn't a completely stupid question. She had already begun to trust him, something about him made her able to talk to him and she felt this strange pull. It was only logical to think that perhaps there was something more he wasn't letting onto.

"No." Steve looked at her wide eyed with shock. "No Harper we were only ever friends and not even the sort you once told me about."

"What?" Harper looked at him completely baffled.

"Look you are a really attractive and beautiful person." Steve began mumbling as he flushed red.

"No not that were never an item the friend thing, not the type if friends I had told you about?" Harper stopped him from going further.

She watch Steve go a brighter red colour as he blushed furiously. She just wanted to laugh but she wasn't sure how he would take it. She saw him think for a moment obviously feeling slightly awkward about the conversation now.

"You once told me people do things in this century which normally only people in my time would only do if married or in a relationship."

"We're talking about sex aren't we?" Steve just slowly nodded, now it was Harper's turn to feel completely embarrassed and awkward. She looked away from Steve realizing why he had such a hard time telling her. "Oh god I am so sorry." Harper winced.

"No it's fine." Steve muttered before chuckling slightly "Who would have thought weeks ago we would be here and it would be you joining me in blushing."

"Was I not normally like that?" Harper let out a sigh resting her head back against the concrete.

"You were very confident in what you said and did." Steve shrugged not looking at her this time when he replied. "I suppose I never caught you off guard to get you to blush."

"We sound like good friends?" Harper smirked feeling a little better about her situation.

"We are." Steve nodding smiling as he looked at her.

There was a knock at the door which interrupted them as a guard entered, for the first time during this situation Harper didn't feel like she had anything to be afraid of. She just sat there looking up at the guard from the floor.

"Captain Rogers sir, Director Fury would like to speak to you." The guard said.

Steve just nodded before getting up off the floor. He glanced down at Harper smiling before he left. Harper watched as the door shut behind them and she looked down at the floor seeing Steve had left the tablet device behind. Smirking slightly she picked up the device and began reading through her file getting a better idea about herself and what she did.


End file.
